Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This applica-tion is a division of application ser-
ial number ~0~,121 filed May 17, 1982.
The present invention relates to a ground working
tool and a holding device therefor. In particular it relates
5to an earth breaking fertilizing tool and a holding device
therefor.
Earth working tools, such as agricultural sweeps,
sod-busters, and banding tools, are usually attached directly
to the end of a tine or shank of a cultivator. These earth
breaking tools are provided with a stem portion which is se-
cured directly to the shank by means of bolts passing through
one or more aligned apertures in the shank and stem. The
problem with connecting the earth working tool directly -to
the shank occurs when the earth working tool must be replaced
due either to excessive wear or damage. Usually, to remove
the tool from the shank the bolts have to be sheared off be-
cause the threads on -the bolt and adjoining nut have been
damaged. As a result, a cultivator, which has about forty of
these earth working tools, may have a considerable down-time
to replace one of the tools. As can be appreciated, replace-
ment of a tool under such conditions is considerably expen-
sive to a farmer.
One earth breaking tool, or banding tool, currently
in use c~mprises a blade having a flat edge the end of which
is tipped to cut into and through the earth. Two delivery
tubes are welded behind the blade to deliver seed and fertil-
izer into the ground. The purpose of this banding tool is to
dsliver fertilizer into the ground beneath the seed so as to
enhance the growth of the crop as the seed grows downwardly
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in-to the fertilized 50il. Ihe problem with this banding
tool, however, is that the flow of fertilizer through the
tubes may be impeded by either the tube outlet becorning
clogged with soil or the Eertiziler freezing. Because the
end of the tool is adapted to fasten directly to a shank, the
bolts connecting the banding tool to the shank are subject to
the problems mentioned hereinabove regarding replacement of
the tool. Also, the flat edge of the banding tool produces a
considerable amount of drag as the tool is pulled through the
ground thereby making the energy cost of using the tool con-
siderably high, Lastly, the banding tool is a weldment and
is therefore costly to manufacture.
It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide an earth breaking tool that is not subject to one
or more of the disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a tool holding device which permits for relatively
easy replacement of the tool.
In accordance with one aspect of the present inven-
tion there is provided a tool holding device adapted to in
terconnect a ground working tool and a shank. The device in-
cludes a base portion securable to the shank and two spaced
apart wall portions defining a tool receiving channel with a
forward opening. The wall portions are adapted to matingly
receive and releasably secure the tool therein.
The tool holding device may further include a rigid
transverse member which extends between the wall portions -to
reinforce the wall portions and abuttingly engage an adjacent
end of the tool to restrain movement thereof. Further, the
tool may abuttingly engage the base portion when secured be-
tween the two walls. The base portion may be releasably
securable with the shank to provide replacement o-E the tool
holding device should this device become damaged.
Preferably, the base portion of the too~l holding
device is provided with at least one aperture through which
first securing means or bolts pass to releasably secure the
tool holding device to the shank. Also, the wall portions
are provided with aligned apertures and the tool is provided
with an aperture through which a second securing means, such
as a nut and bolt or roll pin, passes to releasably secure
the tool to a holding device. An external surface of one of
the wall portions is provided with at least one shielding
protrusion to protect the second securing means~
By providing a too] holding device as described
hereinabove, a tool may be readily replaced when it is worn
or damaged because the holding device protects the means for
securing the tool within the holding device. Further, be-
cause the tool abuts the base portion, the tool protects the
first securing means securing the base portion to the shank
of a cultivator. Therefore, the tool holding device may be
removed at any time. As can be appreciated the easier re-
placement of the tool and tool holder reduces the consider-
able down-time cost that would otherwise be incurred by a
farmer.
In ~ccordance with another aspect of the present
invention there is provided an earth breaking tool comprising
an elongated blade. The blade has a forward facing, substan-
tially flat nosed end portion which is adapted to cut into
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earth. The blade has a leading cutting edge extending above
the flat nosed end portion which cutting edge is adapted to
cut through the earth.
The flat nosed end portion of the tool may be pro-
vided with a tip and be adapted to shear the earth below the
surface soil. The flat nosed end portion is adapted to shear
the hardpan and the leading cutting edye cuts through the
earth above the hardpan. As a result, less energy is expend-
ed to draw the earth breaking tool through the earth.
The cutting edge preferably extends to an upper
portion of the blade which is above the surface soil when the
blade is in use. This upper portion is stepped to reduce
soil build up on the upper portion of the blade to which a
holding device is at-tachedO
The blade may further be contoured above the flat
nosed end portion and adjacent the cutting edge so as to
facilitate penetration of the flat nosed end portion into the
earth. The opposing sides of the blade may be flared so as
to temporarily spread the earth apart. Behind the flat nosed
end portion is provided a channel in the blade for dropping
fertilizer behind the flat nosed end portion when the soil is
temporarily spread apart. After the fertilizer is delivered,
the ground folds back thereby preventing loss of the fertil-
izer to the atmosphere. The placement of the channel behind
the flat nosed end portion of the tool reduces the risk of
the tube outlet clogging with soil. The location of the
channel in the blade is less expensive than welding a tube to
a blade of dissimilar materialO Further, it is believed that
the location of the channel in the blade may preven-t the
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fertilizer from freezing as the frictional forces acting
against the blade will tend to warm the blade and channel.
Another advantage with the earth cutting tool is that it cuts
in-to the earth with minimal tillage and drps fertilizer well
into the earth thereby enhancing pasture rejuvination.
For better understanding of the nature and objects
of the present invention reference may be had by way of ex-
ample to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Fig. l is an exploded perspective view of a tool
holdiny device of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of a tool holding device in-
terconnectirlg the shank of a cultivator and an earth working
tool;
Fig. 3 is a top view of a tool holding device se-
curing the aarth working tool;
Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a fertilizing
tool of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of a fertilizing
tool of the present invention; and
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a fertilizing
tool of the present invention showing an alternative channel.
Figs. 7 and 8 are additional views illustrating
another fertilizing tool constructed in accordance with the
spirit of the present invention.
Referring now to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the preferred
tool holding device of the present invention will be de-
scribed. The tool holding device lO is adapted to intercon
nect a ground working tool 12 and a shank or tine 14 of a
cultivator (not shown). The tool holding device 10 includes
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a base portion 16 which is securable with the shank 14~ The
base portion is provided with two recessed apertures one of
which is shown in Fig. l at 18. ~olts 20 pass through aper-
tures 18 and corresponding slots in shank 14 to secure shanlc
14 with the base portion 16 of holding device lO. The base
portion 16 is further provided wi-th flanges 22 which overlay
shank 14 so as to readily position holding device 10 with re~
spect to shank 14.
The too:L holding device is ~urther provided with
two upstanding wall portions 24 which are spaced apart to de-
Eine a receiving channel 26 having a forward opening 28. Ex-
tending between walls 24 is a rigid reinforcing transverse
member 30. The wall portions 24 are provided with aligned
apertures 32. Adjacent one of the aligned apertures 32 on
lS the outside surface of one of the wall portions 28 are two
shielding protrusions 34. The shielding protrusions 34 pro~
tect nut 36 from damage due to soil passing thereover.
A ground working tool 12 has an end 40 which is
matingly received by channel 26 such that the end 40 of tool
12 abuttingly engages bracket 30 and base portion 16 as il-
lustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. A securing means, bolt 42 and
nut 36, passes through aligned apertures 32 and aperture 44
of tool 12 to releasably secure the tool in the tool holding
device. Alternatively, a roll pin may be used instead of
bolt 42 and nut 36.
The t:ool holding device 10 allows tool 12 to be
readily replaced because soil tends not to travel over the
nut 36 and bolt 42 in a fashion that would damage these
parts. Further, the bolts 20 are protected by the adjacent
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end of the tool 10 allowing the tool holding device 10 to be
readily replaced should it become damagedO
It should be understood that while the tool 12 is
illustrated as a fertilizing tool, that the tool attached to
the holder may comprise a sod-busting tool, an agricultural
sweep, a banding tool, or any ot:her suitable earth working
tool.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 4 to 6, a preferred earth
breaking tool 12 of the present invention will be described.
The earth breaking tool 12 illustrated i5 a fertilizing tool.
The tool 12 comprises an el,ongated blade 46 having
a forward ~acing, substantially flat nosed end portion 48
which is adapted to cut into earth. The flat nosed end por-
tion 48 is provided with a tip 50 which together with portion
48 are adapted to shear the earth below the surface soil.
Above the flat nosed end portion 48 is provided a leading
cutting or knife edge 52 which is adapted to cut through the
earth and provide minimal tillage. The portion o-E the blade
46 adjacent the Elat nosed end portion 48 and ~the cutting
edge 52 is contoured to facilitate the penetration of the
flat nosed end portion 48 into the earth. The upper portion
54 of blade 46 is stepped to reduce soil build up on the
upper portion 54 of the blade. This upper portion 54 is
normally above the soil surface when the tool 12 is in use.
Referring to Fig. 2, the tool 12 moves to the left of the
sheet of drawings when in use and -the upper portion 54 is
secured with the tool holding device lOo
Cast into the blade 38 is a fertilizer delivery
channel 56. Channel 56 has an inlet adapted for connection
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with delivery tube 5~ and an outlet which terminates into
small outlet ports 60 located on either side of keel 62 in a
rear portion of the tool behind the flat nosed end portion
4~. These ports are used to deliver fertiliæer in a gaseous
form. Alternatively, the channel may extend through the keel
62 and provide a single outlet port for the delivery of
fertilizer (see Figure 6). Keel 62 is provided to reinforce
channel 56. The channel 56 delivers fertilizer in the form
of gas or liquid into the ground behind the flat nosed end
portion 48 to reduce the possiblity of the outlet ports 60
becoming clogged with soil. The angle at which the tool 12
cuts through the earth is illustrated in Figure 2 wherein -the
surface of the ground is designated by numeral 66.
The blade 46 gently flares at 64 such that when the
blade is drawn through the earth the flared portions 64 tem-
porarily spread the earth so that the fertilizer may drop
from outlet 60 down into the earth.
Referring to Figures 7 and ~ another preferred
fertilizing tool 12 is illustrated. The tool illustrated in
these figures is identical to the tool of Figures 2 and 4 to
6 except for two differences. The first difEerence is that
tool 12 includes a second aperture 44A provided for side
mounting the tool 12 to a shank, tool holder, or the likec
The second difference is at the rear portion 57 of the tool
12. The first channel 56 has a larger opening and a boss 59
is provided having a second fertilizer delivery channel 56A.
Two different types of fertilizer can be delivered separately
through each of these channels thereby making the fertilizer
tool 12 a banding tool.
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I-t should be understood that the foregoing descrip-
tion of the drawings has been for a preferred embodiment o:E
the presen-t invention and that alternate embodiments may be
readily apparent therefrom to a man skilled in the art.
